No Photo Today

So again I didn't take a photo today. It's okay, I have SO many photos already for this month, and that was my main goal. I certainly like the idea of one a day, but I'm not going to be bound to it. I'll get 365 days...they just won't be absolutely consecutive.

Tonight I'm feeling rather blahee (as we say in my family). I've felt more nauseous today than any previous days. I have to remember that I just don't have the energy I had a couple of weeks ago...and that I need to learn to pace myself. As I've surveyed the condition of my home I'm just not happy with the way I've structured things. I don't have the order I'd like. Thankfully I have a husband who doesn't complain, but I know his big pet peeve is not having dinner on the table in a timely matter. Believe me, it's my pet peeve too, but evenings are not my forte, especially when he works late. I need to get more scheduled and plan my meals and stick with it. It's hard to do when I'm not feeling absolutely perky, but it's something that I cannot neglect...not with this many people depending on me. It's also been a goal of ours to spend less money--especially on food--especially on PRE-prepared foods. It's a work in progress and I don't expect to have this down pat for a while, but it is definitely something worth my time and effort. So today I started off highly motivated. Well, honestly, I had ulterior motives. A woman in the neighborhood just had a baby. I didn't know she was pregnant. It was quite surprising to me. Any time someone has a baby though, I always want to congratulate them and (if possible) see the baby too!! There is nothing quite like a fresh newborn baby. So I decided that the best way to get myself in the door, especially since this isn't a close friend or anything, is to prepare a meal. So as I lay awake last night, waiting for Lilah to wake up (she slept until 2:30am!!!!), I was planning what I could make that would be good, portable and family friendly. Okay, back to the story. So I woke up highly motivated (much unlike me, but I finally had a good night--AND I had my Bible time this morning!). I had some chicken bones ready to make stock. So I made 2 huge stock pots of homemade chicken stock (YUM!). While I was at it, I made 3 loaves of Ezekiel bread from scratch--even ground the grains myself. Well, I had a little "help" from Aaron too. I switched over a load of laundry, threw a new load in. Fixed my hair and put my makeup on. I vacuumed the entire upstairs (again, with the help of Aaron). I straightened Lilah's room (there is always stuff on her floor from the big children). I got my house straightened and had a play date with my 4 good friends and our 21 children. I put my babies to bed. I swept and mopped the entire downstairs and cleaned up the aftermath of said 4 friends, but mostly the 21 children. Then I made 4 homemade chicken pot pies (from scratch--including the crusts) and had to clean up the aftermath of THAT. I think that may have been worse than the aftermath of all of the people. I LOATHE kitchen chores. I actually had to sit down and take a break because all of the standing and working with food was making me feel not so wonderful. I can't imagine why. Now all of this I did with 2 little ones underfoot--or on the counter, or one on my hip and one on the counter (sometimes one on each hip). And I wonder why I'm feeling beat and didn't find time to take a photograph today. Hmmmm...weird. It's funny how I can have a day that is this busy and productive and still feel like I haven't made a whole lot of forward progress. It's going to take a few more days like this to start making a dent in my "to do" list...but I think I'll take it a bit slower from now on, at least for the next couple of weeks. As I like to constantly remind Jeremy, I AM growing another human being inside of me...so even if I do NOTHING, I'm still constantly doing something amazing! :) He loves when I say that. Hahaha!!